When Bish or Carter puffs advance
To make you buy a lottery chance
Adorn’d with every tempting grace
The prizes in the front they place
Contriving that the dazzled eye
Shall not the numerous blanks descry
So in the lottery of love
When beauty or when talents move
Some swain the marriage state to prove
The amorous god with studious care
Displays the prizes of the fair
Contriving that the numerous crew
Of blanks shall still elude your view
But when the marriage knot is tied
No more those blanks he seeks to hide
Each day some fault unseen before
Starts up and seems to threaten more
Thrice happy those the favour’d few
Who draw dear Ann a prize like you
While every day in lessening row
The blanks their front diminished show
While every day some unseen prize
With opening beauties meets their eyes
And blest is he oh nymph divine
Who drew you for my Valentine
EAP
Feb 14 1809